Coat-protector



(No Model.)

J. H. BROOKE.

GOAT PROTECTOR.

N0. 3 8'7, 575. PatentedAug. 7, 1888.

N. PEYERS. Pncwumc m nan wJ-mn wn, 0,0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOHN H. BROOKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COAT-PROTECTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,575, dated August 7, 1888.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. BROOKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented aOoat-Protector, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The coats worn by conductors of street-railway cars become shabby and unsightlycertain part-s of them becoming threadbare and raggedin an amazingly short space of time. Chief among the causes of this rapid destruction of conductors coats is the frequent insertion of the hands into the pockets in making change, 850., which very quickly pulls the pockets out of shape and wears and tears the cloth thereabout. To obviate this wearing and tearing of the cloth around the pockets, conductors coats have been trimmed at these parts with leather and similar material; but this is objectionable, not only because ,it fails to prevent the pockets being pulled out of shape, but also and principally because it is in itself almost as unsightly as the rags, and furthermore totally unfits the coat for use while off duty. Another prolific source of destruction is found in the universal habit of sitting upon or leaning against the dashboard on the rear end of the car,which soon produces a shabby-looking worn spot and a little later a hole, necessitating a patch.

To obviate this rapid and unnecessary wearing and tearing of the coats of street-car conductors is theobject of the present invention, which consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter particularly pointed out in the claims, being first fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figuresl and 2 are respectively afront view and a rear view of a man with the newly-invented protector in the position in which it is designed to be worn. Fig. 3 is a view showing the protector in elevation and on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a view showing the simplest form of the improved protector.

The protector in its preferred form consists of three separated strips or parts, a, b, and c,

which are shaped, provided with pockets,and

connected together by suitable fastenin gs, such as straps, as hereinafter fully set forth.

The parts a and b are placed lengthwise on the coat, and are designed to avoid the wear and tear of the front of the, coat caused by repeatedly inserting the hands into the pockets for making change, and hence these parts should be of sufficient length and width to accommodate the requisite number of pockets, (but no larger,) said pockets being preferably arranged one above the other-that is, when either of the parts has more than one pocket, which is usually the case. b are situated side by side in front of the body of the wearer and in substantially vertical position, one upon each side of the middle of the wearers breast. They are entirely separate from each other, and their outer edges terminate at the sides of the wearer; or, in other words, they do not extend rearward beyond the sides of the wearer, and hence no part of the wearers back is covered by them.

The part designated by the letter 0 is applied transversely of the coat and is designed to protect only a small part of the back of the coat,which becomes worn by sitting upon or leaning against the rear dash, and it should be only large enough for this purpose, extend ing from, say, the waist, or thereabout, downward the desired distance.

It is not the object of the present invention to provide a garment for keeping the wearer warm, as the protector is intended for use in warm as well as in cold weather. Hence, in order that it may not be unbearable in warm weather it is highly desirable that the several parts of the protector be of minimum size, (proper regard being bad for appearance,) and that the connections between said parts be as narrow and light as possible without sacrificing durability.

d is a strap secured at one end to the upper end of one of the front parts, a, and engaged 'near its other end by a buckle, e, or other suitable fastening device secured to the upper end of the other front part, b. This strap (1 passes over the wearers shoulders, serving as the main support for the protector, and also as an adjustable connection between the two partsa and I), whereby they may be elevated or lowered, thus enabling a protector of one These parts a and I size to be made to fit men of widely-different 10o summer without increasing its efficiency.

sizes. In order that this latter object may be accomplished to a nicety, all of the lateral connections (as well as the connection (1) between the several parts are made adjustable in length, as presently described.

The forward edges of the front parts, a and b, arecoupled together by any desired number of adjustable connections, which may con sist of straps f, secured to the edge of one part, a, and buckles g, secured to the edge of the f other part, b. The rear edges of the parts a and b are connected near the top by means of a strap, h, seen red at one end to one of the front parts, a,aud engaging nearits other end with a buckle or other fastening device, 2', secured to the other front part, b. Each of the front parts is cut away at its upper rear corner and curved inward, as shown at j, so that it may fit snugly and comfortably under the arm, the adjustable connections (I and I) being such as to enable the parts to be so adjusted that the protector will fit the body of the wearer as comfortably as an ordinary coat. The upper forward corner of each of the front parts is cut away and slightly rounded or curved outward, or otherwise made to resemble or follow the contour of a collar.

It will be observed that the front parts, a and b, extend somewhat above the uppermost pockets and have the particular shape just described. While this is desirable from an alsthetic point of view, it may be objected to by some as making the protector warmer in In this case it may be omitted; but in some localities this form is desirable even in warm weather, as these upper extensions serve to protect the coat from the destructive effects of a peculiar type of fare register which is sus' pended on the conductors breast by a strap passing around the neck.

The back part, c, is supported principally by the front parts, a and b, through the medium of any desired number of adjustable connections. Preferably, four are employed, (1, m, n, and 0,) each consisting of astrap and a buckle secured, respectively, to the back and front parts, or vice versa. When the pro teeter is in place and made to fit the wearer, by properly adjusting the connections between the several parts, a, b, and c, the back part, a, will, by the connections Z, or, n, and 0, be perfectly and amply supported in its position below the waist; but for further insuring that it shall not sag down (especially when the connectionsfg are not fastened) an adjustable strap, p, is secured at one end to the shoulderstrap 11 and engaged near its other end by a buckle secured to the top edge of said back part, c.

It is desirable for the sake of appearance as well as comfort that the strap 1) should occupy a vertical position in the center of the back of the wearer, and, as the position of said strap would necessarily vary with the ad fustment of the shoulder-strap if they were such points as to form a loop long enough to permit the necessary adjustment of the shoulder'strap, while at the same time enabling the strap 1) to be placed in the desired vertical po sition. It is also found desirable to secure to the strap h in similar manner a strap, h, forming a loop, through which the said strap p passes and whereby its lateral play is limited.

With all the connections between the parts a, b, and a made adjustable, the protector can be made to [it perfectly and comfortably; and I desire to have it understood that, so far as the present invention is concerned, it is not, in its broadest sense, limited to any particular kind of connections. Straps and buckles are shown and preferred for the reason that they are simple, cheap, durable, and effective.

In each of the parts (1., b, and c are formed pockets of a number and character suitable to the demands of the wearer. I have shown in each of the front parts three pockets, q, (making six in both,) one of which may be em' ployed for the pocket-book, one for silver dollars, one for halves, one for quarters, one for dimes, and one for the smaller coins. In the back part 0, I have shown two pockets, r, one of which may be employed for the handkerchief and the other for gloves. This number and arrangement of the pockets is purely arbitrary and may of course be altered without departing from the spirit of the invention.

.Thus it will be seen that a conductor equipped with one of these protectors will not be under the necessity of unbuttoning his coat every few minutes, a task which, in cold weather, is neither agreeable nor easy to perform.

The protector is preferably made of leather, but this is not absolutely essential. It may be made of the same material as the coat, or of canvas, or, in fact, of any desired or suitable material or materials.

On the upper part of one of the front parts may be painted, embossed, printed, or otherwise aflixed the wort Conductor or other insignia.

The invention may be modified by omitting the back part, c, and substituting therefor a strap for holding the parts a and b to place.

If desired, the shoulder-strap (l may be conneeted with both of the front parts a and b by means of buckles, as shown in Fig. 1.,in which case the necessity for the loop (1' is dispensed with.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A coat protector comprising the two strips or narrow parts a and I), having pockets arranged one above another, and an adjusta- IIO ble shoulder strap for supporting said strips or parts at any elevation side by side in front of the body of the wearer, so that they shall occupy substantially vertical positions one upon each side of the middle of the wearer s breast, said strips or parts being separate from each other, so that between their inner or contiguous edges access to the coat-fastenlngs may be had,and terminating at their outer edges at the sides of the wearer, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The coat-protector comprising, in combination, the narrow separate front strips, a and I), having pockets, a supporting shoulderstrap, and a strap for uniting the back edges of said strips a and b below the shoulder-strap, substantially as set forth.

3. The coat-protector comprising, in combination, narrow separate front strips having pockets, fastening devices for uniting the front edges of said strips, a supporting shoulderstrap, and a strap for uniting the back edges of said strips below the shoulder-strap, substantially as set forth.

4. A coat-protector comprising, in combination, the two front strips or narrow parts, a and I), having pockets, a shoulder-strap for supporting said strips or parts side by side in front of the body of the wearer, so that they shall occupy substantially vertical positions, one upon each side of the middle of the wearers breast, and a transverse rear strip, 0, connected to the lower portions of the front strips below the waist of the wearer, said front strips being separate from each other, so that between their inner or contiguous edges access to the coat-fastenings may be had, and terminating at their outer edges at the sides of the wearer, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the separate front strips having pockets, a supporting shoulderstrap, and a separate detachable transverse rear strip extending between the rear or outer edges of the front strips and connected to the lower portions thereof, as set forth.

6. The coat-protector comprising, in combination, the following elements, to wit: the sep arate parts a and I), each having the desired number of pockets arranged one above another, the adjustable shoulder strap for supporting said parts side by side in front of the body of the wearer, the back part, c, and the adjustable straps for connecting the said back part with the front parts and supporting it below the waist of the wearer, substantially as set forth.

7. The coat-protector comprising, in combination, the following elements,to wit: the separate partsa and I), having pockets, the shoulder-strap d, connected to the parts aand b and supporting them side by side in front of the body of the wearer, the fasteniugs for securing together the meeting edges of the said front parts, the strap h, extending behind the wearer and connecting the. outer or rear edges of said parts, and the separate back part, a, connected to the front parts and supported below the waist of the wearer, substantially as set forth.

8; The coat-protector comprising, in combi nation, the following elements, to wit: the separate parts a and b, having pockets, the shoulder-strap d, connected'to said parts and supporting them in front of the body of the wearer, the separate back part, 0, connections between said back and front parts, and the strap 1), connected with the back part, c, and with the shoulder-strap d, whereby the back part, c, is supported, substantially as set forth.

9. The coat-protector comprising, in combination, the following elements, to wit: the sep arate parts a and b, having pockets, the adj ustable shoulder-strap d, connected to said front parts for the purpose of supporting them side by side in front of the body of the wearer, the separate back part, 0, also connected with said front parts, and the adjustable strap 1), connected with the back part, 0, whereby the latter is supported, said strap 19 having sliding connection with the shoulder-strap d, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The coat-protector comprising, in combination, the following elements, to wit: the separate parts a and b, having pockets, the shoulder-strap connected to said parts a and b and supporting them side by side in front ofthe body of the wearer, the back part, c, situated below the waist of the wearer and connected at each end with one of the front parts near the lower end thereof, and asupportiugstrap connected with the back part, c, at a point between its extremities for preventing it from sagging, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The coat-protcctor comprising, in combination, the following elements, to wit: the

separate parts a and I), having pockets, the adjustable shoulder strap d, connected to the said parts a and b for the purpose of supporting them side by side in front of the'body of the wearer, the separate back part, c, situated below the waist of the wearer and connected to the front parts, a and b, the adjustable strap 1), connected to the back part, c, and having sliding connection with the shoulder-strap (Z, and the strap d,secured to said shoulder-strap, so as to form aloop forliiniting the movement of the strap 1), substantially as set forth.

12. The coat-protector comprising the following elements, to wit: the front parts, a and I), having pockets, the adjustable shoulderstrap d, the back part, 0, connected with the front parts, a and b, the adjustable strap p, connected to the back part, c, and having sliding connection with the shoulder'strap d, the strap d,secured to the said shoulder-strap,so as to form aloop for limiting the play of the strap 1), the strap h, connected to the front parts, a and I), and the strap h, secured to the strap h and forming a loop through which the strap 12 passes, substantially as set forth.

13. The coat-protector comprising, in com- IIO bination, the following elements, to Wit: the front parts, a and I), having pockets, and each having its upper rear corner cut away and curved inward, as atj, the adj nstable shoulderstrap d, the adjustable fastenings f, for securing together the meeting edges of said parts a and b, the adjustable strap 71 connecting the rear edges of the said parts a and bat top, the back part, 0, having pockets, the adjustable connections between said back part and the no front parts, a and b, and the adj nstable strap 11, connected to the back part, c, and shoulderstrap (1, substantially as set forth.

J. H. BROOKE.

Witnesses:

L. M. HOPKINS, THOMAS KORINEK, Jr. 

